The instant invention relates generally to well-known float-activated liquid level control devices and, more particularly, to a technique for testing the functioning of these float controllers. Float-activated control mechanisms are exceedingly well-known and have been used in a variety of apparatus as diverse as carburetors, toilets, dishwashers, and fluid level monitors. In particular, float-activated controllers have been employed in offshore gas/oil/water production separation equipment to shut-in offshore wells when the liquid level in the separation tank becomes either too high or too low.
The U.S. Geological Survey's offshore oil and gas production regulations require that separation equipment controllers are in proper working order and that they are tested monthly under working conditions. The goal of these regulations is to prevent sea pollution, for with the level controllers functioning properly, the wells are automatically shut-in when a disturbance in fluid production likely to cause pollution occurs.
Known methods of testing offshore float controllers have been subject to problems as the controllers to function properly must be in communication with liquids in the tank and are thus not too readily accessible from outside the tank. One method employs closing the separation equipment outlet line, thereby causing the liquid in the separation tank to backup and activate the high liquid level float-activated controller. It is then necessary to open the outlet valve and close the separation tank inlet valve to bleed off fluid in the separation tank to thereby check the low level controller to ensure that it is functioning properly. Obviously, this type of testing leads to potential human error in leaving one of the valves open or shut and is a time-consuming procedure. Another method for testing the functioning of these controllers to comply with the USGS regulations is the mounting of the controllers on the side of the separation tank in communication with the tank liquid level through a valving arrangement. These external controllers may be isolated from the tank by closing the valve connection, and then tested as in the previous method. This method leads to the same problem as human error can leave the communication valves closed, thereby eliminating liquid level control of the separation equipment and the procedure is again slow. The method and apparatus of the instant invention, however, eliminates the possibility of human error in the testing of such float control mechanisms and speeds up the test procedure by allowing direct access to an internal float-activated controller.